Netanyahu quells rumors, assures faction members that defense minister will not be included on party list in next election.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told his Likud faction Monday that Defense Minister Ehud Barak and his Independence Party allies would not be on the Likud's Knesset slate in the next election.

Likud MKs Danny Danon and Tzipi Hotovely have drafted petitions signed by MKs in the Likud faction against reserving slots. They intend to present the petitions to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in an effort to preempt him from initiating such a move.

When asked about the matter by Hotovely, Netanyahu said "Despite the
misinformation that has angered our MKs, Ehud Barak has not been
reserved a slot and he will not be parachuted in, not by air, nor by
land, nor by sea."

Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar said there was no point in saving slots
for the Independence Party because a poll indicated for the first time
that it may pass the electoral threshold.

Independence Party MK Einat Wilf has said it is in the Likud's interest
that her party run alone because it could attract votes away from
Kadima.

Danon told Netanyahu that Barak should run with the new party being
formed by former journalist Yair Lapid, where Danon said he could find a
common ideology.